Side chair

Date1825-1835

Attributed to John W. Patterson (working ca. 1817-1833)

OriginAmerica, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

MediumWood, rush, paint and gilt.

DimensionsOH: 34 1/2"; OW: 18 1/4"; OD: 20 1/4"

Credit LineGift of David H. and Mary M. Meese in honor of Charles Hummel, Brock Jobe and Robert Trent.

Object number2004-18

DescriptionSide chair with simulated rosewood graining and painted gilt decoration. Slightly arched and curved tablet shaped crest rail has an applied scroll-and-scallop shaped top edge. Gilt decoration on crest rail consists of a gold band outlining the lower rectangular tablet with an interior design of horizontal lines terminating in stylized leaves with more painted scroll and abstract foliate decorations on the added top edge. Shaped horizontal splat bears more painted gilt decoration with a central round floral medallion and flanking scroll and anthemion designs. Rectangular rush seat with rounded front rail which bears the same gold painted design as the central motif on the tablet crest rail. Continuous, curved rear stiles have thick, central gilt band painted on front surface from crest rail to seat and gently flared saber lower leg. Front saber legs also have thick central band of gilt decoration down middle of front and interior faces, and rounded knees in same profile as rounded front seat rail. Sides of chair frame picked out in thin gold outline. Plain turned double side and single back stretchers; side stretchers have single gold band running down length of top surface. Single shaped and carved front stretcher with a central, gold painted floral medallion and foliate designs. All exposed surfaces of chair frame have painted “rosewood” (red and black) graining underneath gilt decoration. Top surface of rush seat originally painted yellow, but now suffers considerable losses to this applied surface.
Label TextFancy chairs were produced throughout America during the first half of the nineteenth century. In Philadelphia, the number of furniture craftsmen including ornamental painters almost doubled between 1800 and 1830. A high-end production for the middle-class market, this chair is decorated with faux rosewood graining and gilded classical motifs. It descended in the McIlvanine family of Paradise and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
ProvenanceThis chair descended in the McIlvanine family of Paradise, Pennsylvania to Mary Meese. Mrs. Meese wrote: "It was in my father's family and 'lived' in its latter years at the 'Farm' in Paradise, Pennsylvania, which was emptied and sold in the late 1960s. The family - McIlvanine - also lived in the winter in Philadelphia from whence this probably came. Because the contents upon the death of the last aunt were distributed among many cousins I am guessing this may have been one of a set." (2/16/04).

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